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Bioptics Case Study

Bioptics Case Study

Paragon Rapid Technologies Ltd support The Design Factor with the development and manufacture of the enclosures for two new Digital Specimen Radiography Systems for Bioptics Inc.
Bioptics, Inc. is an industry pioneer in the CMOS based X-Ray Sensor technology and is committed to developing the best imaging technology available for the detection and treatment of breast cancer.
Two of Bioptic’s latest developments are the CoreVISION, a desk top product used by pathologists to rapidly verify the presence of micro-calcifications in biopsies and the other is BioVISION. A mobile imaging unit designed to save time in the Operating Theatre and providing instant verification of excised breast tissue.
 
The Design
 
In November 2006 Bioptics turned to Belfast based design consultants, The Design Factor to fully design and develop their products and company brand. Ciaran Purdy of The Design Factor commented, “It is important to us that the brand and product design are complimentary. This was more than just a packaging exercise or even the design of a new product. This was the creation of a new 2D and 3D brand” The Design Factor devised a full strategy to give Bioptics this new identity. This included everything from the product naming system, website and design of supporting literature as well as the full engineering of the products themselves and the development of the user interface software.
 
The Design Factor were tasked with the development of a compact, portable device, with touch screen and wireless operation. The benefits to the user and patient would be convenience, ease of use saving valuable Operating Room time.
 
The Design Factor team generated concept images using Maxon’s Cinema 4D before committing to the final mechanical design in Solidworks. The design of the user interface was demonstrated through adobe flash before being integrated into Bioptic’s own software.
 
Prototyping
 
The Design Factor called upon the services of Paragon Rapid Technologies Ltd for the prototypes and initial production parts.
“We have worked with Paragon for a number of years and have always been impressed with their quality of work.  They are real model makers in the sense that they don't rely wholly on the SLA machine but add value to the model making process” said Ciaran Purdy.
 
The CoreVISION was the first system to be manufactured and an initial run of Polyurethane vacuum castings were produced from silicone tooling. Following  feedback from Bioptics, The Design Factor were able to modify the design further before commissioning production tooling and 100 sets of injection moulded parts through Paragon’s approved suppliers in China.
 
The BioVISION system is a much more complex product, integrating a standard Touch Screen and slim-line keyboard. The main components of the casings were CNC machined from ABS and test fitted to the fabricated sheet metal chassis. Once approved they were then used along with a number of stereolithography parts as master patterns for silicone tooling. Within four days, Paragon were casting Polyurethane parts to build an initial run of fifteen complete assemblies. The vacuum castings were fitted to chassis, with bespoke rub-down graphics of the new corporate logo before the application of a durable industrial lacquer. Final assembly of electronics and hardware was carried out by The Design Factor before the fully operational products were delivered for field trials.
 
Ryan Lohrenz of Bioptics Inc concluded “The Design Factor has done an amazing job in creating our brand, which has essentially transformed our company into the real market leader. Paragon has been very instrumental in working with us to create the products we have on the market today. The quality and speed with which we have developed our new products could not have been possible without the expertise of Paragon and all of its employees”